VS America Project Profile

In the spring of 2024, Megan Smith, MDes Director, and Philip Wyness, FCCS Technical Director, worked with a design team from VS America to design the new Design Studio for UBC’s Master of Design program. Below is an excerpt from the project profile, prepared by Thomas Doe, Director of Higher Education for VS America.

Design Studio, Masters of Design program, UBCO

Photo credit: Andrew Lowes

Project Profile: Critical Future Studio Lab and Master of Design Studio

When we met the Director of UBC Okanagan’s Master’s in Design program, Dr. Megan Smith, and Technical Director, Philip Wyness, they were working towards creating a multidimensional space that would serve a variety of needs within a relatively small footprint. The space offers several unique features, including cutting-edge visualization technologies, dedicated collaborative areas equipped with state-of-the-art prototyping tools and materials, and areas where partnerships can be established with industry leaders for real-world projects. Additionally, the space fosters interdisciplinary collaboration by integrating expertise from the School of Engineering, the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies, and the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. It became clear that a thorough understanding of how people come together, while being supported ergonomically, was key to a successful project outcome.

The final design of the space offers several unique features. In the main atrium, we used the large-scale, writable Fliptable-TQ, which can be rearranged and grouped together to support collaboration and the offloading of ideas as students work to plan projects. The JUMPER® Air Four provides a lightweight, stacking chair that has a durable enough construction to stand up to the hands-on exploration that will take place in this space. Ergonomic stacking Solo stools, with a variety of footrest heights, allow users to adopt different sitting positions and provides overflow seating. High-density SPACE storage organizes everything needed for the program, such as tools, markers, and VR goggles for simulation work.

Design Studio, Masters of Design program, UBCO

Near the private and shared offices, we incorporated the same nesting tables as the atrium, as well as mobile, pneumatic height-adjustable RondoLift workstations that can be easily moved in and out of the offices to promote collaboration between faculty and students. Outdoor friendly plastic rocking chairs near a living garden provide a moment for casual conversation and the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of some plant life within the space or moved outside via the garage door.

One project from the Critical Future Studio Lab and Master of Design Studio that has created ripples is All the Stars We Cannot See by Dr. Megan Smith and Dr. Gao Yujie. This immersive and interactive installation situates participants within a virtual sky activated by 25,500+ satellites orbiting Earth. The artists worked to render a visible representation of the global impact of satellite density. This artwork builds a space for discussion on the impact of space colonization and brings awareness to growing mechanisms of surveillance and the political and economic driving forces for occupying space. It won an Honorary Mention at Ars Electronica in 2022 and was exhibited at Kelowna Art Gallery (October 2023 – March 2024) and York University (Fall 2024).

Another project is by Bahman Fakouri, a master’s student in the IGS program, Digital Arts & Humanities theme, Experiencing Kelowna Wildfire. This project is an immersive, narrative-driven VR experience that provides an intimate perspective on the far-reaching consequences of environmental crises.

We are proud to have been a partner in Dr. Smith’s Canada Foundation for Innovation’s Critical Future Studio Lab, which aims to inspire the next generation of design leaders and entrepreneurs through its flexible layout, cutting-edge technology, and emphasis on sustainability and social responsibility.

 “The space aims to inspire the next generation of design leaders and entrepreneurs through it’s flexible layout, cutting-edge technology, and emphasis on sustainability and social responsibility.”

– Dr. Megan L. Smith , Associate Professor in Creative Technology & Director Master of Design

 

All the Starts We Cannot See projected in the Critical Futures Studio performance space

All the Starts We Cannot See projected in the Critical Futures Studio performance space

Bahman Fakouri's standing in front of his VR project, Experiencing Kelowna Wildfire

Bahman Fakouri’s standing in front of his VR project, Experiencing Kelowna Wildfire

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